The Best Picnic Spots In The North West

top picnic spots / she-eats / Grab the goodies and your blanket, we are lunching al fresco!

The sun is shining (ok not right this second, but it does this time of year), so why not pack up your lunch, grab your loved ones and head out for a picnic. I asked some of my blogger friends to share their favourite picnic spots, right here in the north west…and slightly further afield.

LANCASHIRE
Brock Bottom in Lancashire is new to me, but it is a beautiful old mill site between Garstang and Preston. There’s free parking and picnic tables, but it is the tree lined walks down to the river that you will love. Recommended by Sarah from Toby Goes Bananas. 

top picnic spots / she-eats / Brock-Bottom

Brock Bottom. Pic: Toby Goes Bananas

You can also read Visit Lancashire’s Summer in Lancashire guide for some inspiration of where to take days out in the county with your picnic blanket in tow.

MANCHESTER
My own fave is Haigh Woodland Park in Wigan. I married here, I worked here. There are pigs in the woods, high ropes and a chocolatier in the courtyard- what more could you want from a picnic spot? 

No filter required at #haighwoodlandpark today ☀️

A post shared by Wigan Council (@wigancouncil) on

Sarah, The Urban Wanderer has tonnes of suggestions for al fresco lunch in and around Manchester itself. I love her round up of urban picnic spots such as Castlefield Basin – you can enjoy a city day out and some peaceful timeout by the water within minutes of each other.

top picnic spots / castlefield basin / she-eats

Castlefield basin. Pic: The Urban Wanderer

 

CUMBRIA
Rachel, from The Daisy Pages is my go to girl for Cumbrian picnic spots. Crummock Water gives rewards a short walk with some spectacular views.

top picnic spots / crummock water / she-eats

Chilling by Crummock Water. Pic: The Daisy Pages

She also recommends Basenthwaite Lake, which I love too. Mirehouse Gardens has wooded pathways leading to four different playgrounds, so kids of all ages are catered for.

top picnic spots / she-eats / bassenthwaite

Mirehouse Gardens. Pic: The Daisy Pages

 

CHESHIRE
Claire, aka The Ladybirds Adventures has introduced me to the small but perfectly formed Hare Hill in Cheshire. A National Trust property, there are hare sculptures hidden around the grounds, so you can work up an appetite looking for them all.

top picnic spots / she-eats/ hare-hill

Hare Hill. Pic: The Ladybird Adventures.

 

YORKSHIRE
I know that Yorkshire is a little out of the north west, but I couldn’t not include Yorkshire Sculpture Park in my round up. We go here with our flask and sarnies in the depths of winter and picnic on a bench overlooking fields of art. It’s very special to me (I went to  Bretton Hall college which was on site), but I recommend for all art and nature lovers. You can picnic round the lakes, by the gallery or in the field of sculpture. It is wonderfully unique and has a gorgeous cafe and gift shop too.

Karen, commonly known as that Lancashire Lass, betrayed her name by recommending Bolton Abbey near Skipton! As well as the beautiful abbey ruins there are 80 miles of walking trails, so pack lots of flapjacks for energy.top picnic spots / bolton-abbey / she-eats

If you have any favourite picnic spots which we should all be checking out this summer, let me know in the comments below. And, most importantly, what are you packing in your picnic basket?


Where to picnic in the North West / days out  / travel / picnic / she-eats

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Posted by Claire

She eats. She drinks. She cooks. She travels. She learns. She tastes. She bakes. A foodie with exceptional taste! Always looking for the best food and drink producers from far and wide. Chocolate brownie queen. Judge: International Cheese Awards. Cheese fiend! Travel lover. What better way to discover new food, than to travel to it. Massive fan of The Archers. Crazy cat lady and proud. NW England / Manchester / UK Twitter & Insta: She_Eats_Blog Facebook: SheEatsBlog

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